Hinge device

ABSTRACT

A HINGE INCLUDES A PAIR OF HINGE PLATES HAVING PIN COUPLED INTERDIGITATED KNUCKLES FORMED ON REARWARDLY DIRECTED PANELS LOCATED ALONG THE HINGE PLATE INNER EDGES. A CAM MEMBER INCLUDES A FIRST LEG PROJECTING REARWARDLY FROM THE INNER EDGE OF ONE HINGE PLATE AND TERMINATING IN A TRANSVERSELY PROJECTING SECOND LEG HAVING AN END FACE LOCATED A DISTANCE FROM THE HINGE PIN GREATER THAN THE RADIAL DISTANCE THEREFROM OF THE SECOND LEG. A LEAF SPRING MEMBER IS MOUNTED ON THE SECOND HINGE PLATE AND TER-   MINATES IN A LEG EXTENDING OUTWARDLY AT AN ANGLE TO THE MAIN SECTION OF THE LEAF SPRING AND BEARING ON THE CAM END FACE WHEN THE HINGE PLATES ARE COPLANAR. STOP ELEMENTS ARE PROVIDED TO LIMIT THE CLOSING OF THE HINGE PLATES TO A COPLANAR POSITION AND STAGGERED APERTURED COUPLING TABS PROJECT FOWARDLY FROM THE HINGE PLATE INNER EDGES.

, P 1971 J. RUDNICK I 3,608,130

HINGE DEVICE Filed Sept. 22, 1965 INVENTOR 49 flick El/ON/CK AT ORNEYUnited States Patent 3,608,130 HINGE DEVICE Jack Rudnick, Bronx, N.Y.,assignor to Paniflex Corporation, Bronx, N.Y. Filed Sept. 22, 1965, Ser.No. 489,212 Int. Cl. E05d 11/08 US. Cl. 16-142 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THEDISCLOSURE A hinge includes a pair of hinge plates having pin coupledinterdigitated knuckles formed on rearwardly directed panels locatedalong the hinge plate inner edges. A cam member includes a first legprojecting rearwardly from the inner edge of one hinge plate andterminating in a transversely projecting second leg having an end facelocated a distance from the hinge pin greater than the radial distancetherefrom of the second leg. A leaf spring member is mounted on thesecond hinge plate and terminates in a leg extending outwardly at anangle to the main section of the leaf spring and bearing on the cam endface when the hinge plates are coplanar. Stop elements are provided tolimit the closing of the hinge plates to a coplanar position andstaggered apertured coupling tabs project forwardly from the hinge plateinner edges.

The present invention relates generally to improvements in hinge devicesand it relates more particularly to improvements in folding door hingestructures and mechanisms.

Folding or accordian type doors are highly preferred over conventionaldoors under many conditions. Thus Where the opening is relatively wideor where the access space is relatively small as is frequently the casewith the access openings to closets, the use of the hinged single paneldoor is accompanied by many drawbacks which are overcome by the use of afolding type door. The folding door is typified by one or more pairs ofside by side rectangular panels which are hinged to each other alongtheir adjacent or inner edges and the outer corners thereof pivotlyengage an overhead track registering with the door opening, at least oneof the corners being slidable along the track thereby permitting theclosing and the folding or opening of the door. Much of the hardwareheretofore proposed and available for use with folding door structuresleave much to be desired in many of their features. It is generallydesirable in the operation of the folding doors that when they approachtheir closed position, they be spring urged and be normally releasablyretained in such closed position and that they be releasably retained inany desired open position, Another operational feature which isdesirable in folding door structures is that the hinged joint connectingthe folding door panels be positively prevented from moving inwardly ofthe plane of the closed door panels since this would lead to damage ofthe folding door structure.

The arrangement heretofore employed for achieving any of these latterfeatures are expensive, complicated and bulky devices which areunreliable, difficult to apply and otherwise leave much to be desired.

It is therefore a principal object of the present invention to providean improved door structure.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved hingemechanism.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improvedhinge arrangement in folding door structures.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improvedhinge assembly for folding door structures which maintains the door inany selected position and alternatively releasablylocks the door in itsfully open or fully closed position.

Still a further object of the present invention is to pro vide a hingeassembly of the above nature characterized by its low cost, ease ofapplication, ruggedness, and reliability.

The above and other objects of the present invention will becomeapparent from a reading of the following description taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a two unit folding door structureembodying the present invention, one of the folding door units beingshown in its fully open position and the other of the folding door unitsbeing shown in its fully closed position;

FIG. 2. is a rear perspective view of the improved hinge structure shownin a door closed position;

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view thereof;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view along line 4-4 in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view along line 5-5 in FIG. 3; and

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 4, the hinge being shown in a partiallyopen position.

In a sense the present invention contemplates the provision of a hingecomprising a pair of hinge plates, means connecting said hinge platesfor swinging about a 1ongitudinal axis, a cam member mounted on one ofsaid hinge plates and swingable therewith and including a raisedsection, and an elongated spring mounted on said other hinge plate andincluding a first arm projecting from said other hinge plate toward saidcam member and terminating in an angularly related end leg joinedthereto by an elbow with a convex face directed toward said cam member,said spring end leg engaging said cam raised section when said hingeplates are in a predetermined relative position. Another feature of thepresent invention resides in the provision of stop members on the hingeplates which are movable therewith and are in abutting engagement withthe respective opposite hinge plate when the hinge plates are in aclosed coplanar position to prevent the rearward swinging of the hingeplates beyond said closed position.

According to a preferred form of the improved hinge, the hinge platesare provided with rearwardly directed panels along their adjacent edges,the panels terminating in interdigitating aligned hinge knuckles whichare engaged by a registering hinge pin whereby the hinge plates areswingable between a closed substantially coplanar position and an opensubstantially parallel position. The cam member is integrally formedwith one of the hinge plates and includes a first section or armprojecting rearwardly from the inner edge of the hinge plate andconnected by a curved elbow section to transversely projecting end legterminating in an end face. A leaf spring has one end thereof anchoredto the other hinge plate adjacent to its outer edge and projectsrearwardly toward the outer end of the cam member. The leaf springterminates in an angularly related rearwardly directed leg joined to theremainder of the leaf spring by an elbow section, the spring end legengaging the cam leg end face when the hinge plates are in the closedposition and the spring elbow section engaging the cam outer face whenthe hinge plates are between their open and closed position. The stopmembers limiting the closing position of the hinge plates are defined bya tab extending inwardly and rearwardly from one of the hinge plates,and one of the rearwardly directed edge panels which is engaged by thetab when the hinge plates are coplanar.

Referring now to the drawing which illustrates a preferred embodiment ofthe present invention which is shown applied to a two section foldingdoor structure associated with a closet opening, the reference numeralsand 11 generally designate inner and outer rectangular door panels ofopposite pairs thereof, the adjacent edges of the panels 10 and 11 beinghinged to each other by pairs of vertically spaced hinges 12. The outerpanels 10 are pivotally engaged at their upper and lower outer cornersand the upper inner corners of the inner panels 11 are slidably engagedby an overhead track in the manner well known in the art.

The panels 10 and 11 include rear faces 13 and 14 and adjacent end faces16 and 17 respectively. When the door panels are in their extended orclosed position, as seen in FIGS. 4 and 5, the panel rear faces 13 and14 are coplanar and the panel end faces 16 and 17 are in confrontingparallel relationship. Each of the hinges 12 comprises a pair ofcomplementary first and second hinge members 18 and 19, each preferablyformed of a unitary metal stamping of sheet steel or other suitablematerial. The hinge member 18 includes a substantially flat leaf sectionof plate 20 provided with apertures 21 to facilitate the securementthereof to a door panel. Integrally formed with the inner edge of theleaf section 20 and projecting forwardly perpendicular to the leafsection 20 is an apertured connecting tab 22 disposed along the upperpart of the leaf section 20.

An integrally formed strip 23 extends along the inner edge of the leafsection 20 and projects rearwardly thereof and is recessed to the levelof the leaf section 20 in the area of the coupling tab 22. Positionedalong the bottom rear edge of the strip 23 is an integrally formedknuckle 24. A pair of longitudinally spaced knuckles 26 in axialalignment with the knuckle 24 is located along the upper rear edge ofthe strip 23 and is likewise integral with the strip 23.

A cam member 27 is located between the knuckles 26 and includes a frontsection 28 coplanar with the strip 23 and integral therewith and theleaf section 20. Projecting rearwardly from the cam front section 28 isa rear section 29 substantially coplanar with the front section 28 andjoined by a curved or arcuate integral elbow section 36 to asubstantially planar cross member 32. The cross member 32 is disposedrearwardly of the knuckles 26 and extends laterally from one sidethereof to a point beyond the other side thereof and terminates in aslightly forwardly inclined lip 33. The cam sections 28 and 29, elbow30, cross member 32 and lip 33 are of the same width throughout and areprovided on their outer faces along the side edges thereof withforwardly raised ribs 34. A stop tab 36 projects rearwardly inwardlyfrom the upper inner edge of the leaf section 20 to a point which willbe hereinafter set forth, and a small tab 37 coplanar with the tab 22 isdirected forwardly from the inner edge of the leaf section 20 directlybelow the tab 36.

The second hinge member 19 comprises a leaf member or plate 38 havingapertures 39 and provided along its inner edge with a rearwardlydirected integral strip 40. A recess 41 is formed in the strip 40 on thearea of and of greater width than the cam member 27, extending above andbelow the cam member 27 to permit the free movement thereof relative tothe hinge member 19. An apertured connecting tab 42 is directedforwardly from the inner edge of the leaf member 38 in the area of therecess 41 and is perpendicular to the leaf member 38. An inwardlyextending rearwardly inclined stop tab 43 and an adjacent forwardlydirected tab 44 are formed along the lower inner edge of the leaf member38 and correspond to the tabs 36 and 37 respectively.

Integrally formed with and located along the rear edge of the strip 40are longitudinally spaced upper knuckle 46 and lower knuckle 47. Theknuckles 24, 26, 46 and 47 are in axial alignment, the knuckle 47 beingpositioned between the knuckles 24 and 26 and the knuckles 26 beingpositioned between the knuckles 46 and 47. A hinge pin 48 registers withthe knuckles 26, 27, 46 and 47 4 and is provided with enlarged heads 49.It should be noted that the stop tabs 36 and 43 are so positioned anddimensioned that their inner ends abut the opposite strips 40 and 23when the hinge 12 is in the door closed position as illustrated in FIGS.2 to 5.

A rectangular opening 50 is formed in the leaf member 38 and is locatedbetween the side edges of the leaf member 38 at the level of the cammember 27. The outer border of the opening 50 to the adjacent side edgeof the leaf member 38 is forwardly offset as at 51.

A leaf spring 52, of any suitable material, preferably a spring steel,includes a flat trailing leg 53 underlying the border section 51 andfirmly secured thereto by a rivet 54, the head of the rivet 54underlying the spring leg 53 being at about the level of the inner faceof the leaf member 38. Extending from the inner edge of the spring leg53 is an inwardly rearwardly inclined section or arm 56. The upper endof the arm 56 is joined by an angular or curved elbow section 57 to afront leg 58 angularly related to arm 56 and more rearwardly inclinedrelative thereto whereby the convex face of the elbow section faces thecam 27.

The leaf spring 52 is supported and sprung so as to always bear upon thecam member 27 and be under stress. The cam member 27 and the leaf spring52 are so dimensioned and related that when the hinge 12 is in the doorclosed position the free end face of the cam leg 33 bears on the innerface of the spring leg 58 above the elbow section 57. However, when thehinge is any condition between the door open position and apredetermined amount before the door closed position, as seen in FIG. 6,the outer or convex face of the spring elbow section 57 bears upon theouter face of the cam member 27. Furthermore, in the door closedposition of the hinge 12, the elbow S7 is radially closer to the hingeaxis as defined by the hinge pin 48 than the end of the cam leg 33.Thus, as the hinge is moved from its door open to its door closedposition the end of the cam leg 33 will ride forwardly along the springarm 56 to further stress the spring 52 and as it passes the elbow 57,the spring leg 57 bears on the end face of the cam leg 33 to urge andsnap the hinge to its fully door closed position.

In assembling adjacent panels 10 and 11 two or more vertically spacedhinges 12 are employed. The hinge leaf plates 20 and 38 overlie thepanel rear faces 14 and 13 respectively adjacent the end faces 17 and 16and are secured thereto by screws 59. The tabs 22 and 37 abut the panelend face 17, the tab 22 being screwed thereto, and the tabs 42 and 44abut the panel end face 16, the tab 42 being screwed thereto. When thedoor panels 10 and 11 are in their closed position, they are releasablyresiliently locked therein by reason of the pressure of the spring legs58 on the respective cam legs 33 and are limited against inward movementat their adjacent vertical edges by the tabs 36 and 43 bearing on theopposite hinge member strips 23 and 40. Upon opening of the door panels10 and 11 beyond a predetermined point, the leaf spring elbow by bearingon the face of the cam member 27 releasably maintains the panels in thepreset position. However, when the panels 10 and 11 are opened beyondthe point where the leaf spring elbow 57 bears on the cam elbow 30, thehinges 12 and the panels 10 and 11 are resiliently urged by the leafsprings 52 to their fully open positions.

While there has been described and illustrated a preferred embodiment ofthe present invention it is apparent that numerous alterations,omissions and additions may be made without departing from the spiritthereof.

What is claimed is:

1. A hinge comprising a pair of transversely spaced first and secondhinge plates provided along adjacent edges thereof with rearwardlydirected integrally formed panels terminating in axially longitudinallyaligned hinge knuckles, a hinge pin registering with said hinge knuckleswhereby said hinge plates are swingable between a closed substantiallycoplanar position and an open substantially parallel position, a cammember integrally formed with said first hinge plate and including afirst section projecting rearwardly from said first hinge plate andconnected to a second transversely projecting section spaced rearwardlyof and extending across said hinge pin and terminating in an end facespaced from said hinge pin a distance greater than the radial distancebetween said second section and said hinge pin, and a leaf spring havingone end thereof mounted to said second hinge plate and the other endthereof engaging said cam member and bearing on said cam member end facewhen said hinge plates are in said closed position and on the outer faceof said cam member when said hinge plates are between said open andclosed positions, said second hinge plate having an opening formedtherein, said leaf spring passing through said opening and being securedto the front face of said second hinge plate adjacent to the outer edgethereof and being rearwardly inwardly inclined relative to said secondhinge plate and terminating in an angularly rearwardly directed endsection with an inner elbow section, said spring end section engagingsaid cam end face when said hinge is in said closed position and saidspring elbow section engaging said cam outer face when said hinge isbetween said open and closed positions.

2. A hinge comprising a pair of transversely spaced first and secondhinge plates provided along adjacent edges thereof with rearwardlydirected integrally formed panels terminating in axially longitudinallyaligned hinge knuckles, a hinge pin registering with said hinge knuckleswhereby said hinge plates are swingable between a closed substantiallycoplanar position and an open substantially parallel position, a cammember integrally formed with said first hinge plate and including afirst section projecting rearwardly from said first hinge plate andconnected to a second transversely projecting section spaced rearwardlyof and extending across said hinge pin and terminating in an end facespaced from said hinge pin a distance greater than the radial distancebetween said second section and said hinge pin, a leaf spring having oneend thereof mounted to said second hinge plate and the other end thereofengaging said cam member and bearing on said cam member end face whensaid hinge plates are in said closed position and on the outer face ofsaid cam member when said hinge plates are between said open and closedpositions, and a stop member located on one of said hinge plates andengaging the other hinge plate when said hinge is in said closedposition to limit the closing movement of said hinge plates to saidcoplanar position. 3. A hinge comprising a pair of transversely spacedfirst and second hinge plates provided along adjacent edges thereof withrearwardly directed integrally formed panels terminating in axiallylongitudinally aligned hinge knuckles, a hinge pin registering with saidhinge knuckles whereby said hinge plates are swingable between a closedsubstantially coplanar position and an open substantially parallelposition, a cam member integrally formed with said first hinge plate andincluding a first section projecting rearwardly from said first hingeplate and connected to a second transversely projecting section spacedrearwardly of and extending across said hinge pin and terminating in anend face spaced from said hinge pin a distance greater than the radialdistance between said second section and said hinge pin, a leaf springhaving one end thereof mounted to said second hinge plate and the otherend thereof engaging said cam member and bearing on said cam member endface when said hinge plates are in closed position and on the outer faceof said cam member when said hinge plates are between said open andclosed positions, and a forwardly directed coupling tab integrallyformed with and located along the inner edge of each of said hingeplates, said tabs and said hinge plates having connector aperturesformed therein.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 919,154 4/1909 Gen 161422,526,209 10/1950 Durup 16142 3,262,149 7/1966 Gorton et al. 16-1423,362,041 1/ 1968 Fynewever 16-142 BOBBY R. GAY, Primary Examiner D. L.TROUTMAN, Assistant Examiner

